On this day, British merchants and armymen, who were stationed at the trading post in Kasimbazar near Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal, were made to surrender by Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah and imprisoned in Murshidabad.

Among the jailed men was Warren Hastings, who would become the first Governor-General of Bengal.

Hastings had joined the British East India Company as a writer (clerk) and arrived in Calcutta in 1750. He was later posted at Kasimbazar.

After imprisoning the British in Murshidabad, Siraj seized Calcutta two weeks later, which led to the “Black Hole Tragedy”.

Hastings joined Robert Clive in January 1757, when the latter regained Calcutta from the Nawab. In June 1757, Clive defeated Siraj in the Battle of Plassey.

Hastings was recognised for his contribution to the British campaign and in 1758, he was appointed the British Resident in Murshidabad. He became the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1773.

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